Young forward passes a century of appearances for the Robins
Alfie Loversidge has joined the Hassocks 100 Club with the forward passing a century of appearances for the Robins in the recent 3-2 win away at Steyning Town.
Loversidge becomes the 42nd youth team product to reach the landmark in senior football, showcasing once again the Hassocks pathway as one of the most successful in Sussex non league football.
The milestone has been reached in four-and-a-half seasons as a first team regular, although Loversidge would have got there much quicker had injury not ruled him out for a large part of the 2022-23 campaign.
Loversidge joined the Under 18s setup at the Beacon in 2018 as a 15-year-old. Over the next three years, he would play 30 times and contribute five goals for the Young Robins.
Hassocks finished as Under 18s runners up in his first season with the club and were in firm title contention when both the 2019-20 and 2020-21 campaigns were brought to a halt by Covid-19.
Loversidge made his senior debut as a 17-year-old under the management of Mark Dalgleish in 2019 and became a regular when Dave John returned to the dugout for the 2020-21 season.
Initially used as a central midfielder, Loversidge impressed with his fearless approach against more experienced and physical opponents.
He scored his first senior goal in a 6-2 defeat at Eastbourne Town and added another when Hassocks won 4-2 at Crawley Down Gatwick in the Supplementary Shield competition held in April.
Brad Sweetman pushed Loversidge further forward in the 2021-22 campaign. This proved to be a shrewd move as Loversidge contributed nine goals in 41 appearances, playing a key role in helping the Robins avoid relegation.
Included in that haul was the first hat-trick of his career in a 4-1 win over AFC Varndeanians, making him the first teenager to score a treble for Hassocks since Matt Amos 15 years earlier. Not bad company to be in.
That aforementioned injury struck on the opening day of the 2022-23 season away at Peacehaven, leaving Loversidge on the shelf for five months.
He was eased back in gently by James Westlake from January onwards. Now playing as a winger, Loversidge made 11 starts and seven substitute appearances through the second half of the campaign.
Into the current season, Loversidge scored his first Hassocks goal for 18 months with a timely 89th minute winner in the Sussex Senior Cup away at AFC Uckfield Town in September.
Two more goals followed in the 5-0 thrashing of AFC Varndeanians at the Beacon – he seems to like playing the Vs – and the thrilling 5-4 FA Vase victory against Sheerwater.
Loversidge now sits on three goals in 23 matches for the season, making for a career total of 14 from 102 appearances.
Congratulations on joining the Centurions Club, Alfie – here is to the next 100.
